Why every business needs a mobile strategy

By now, every business owner should know they need an online presence to succeed in the modern consumer climate. However, some business owners may not realize how important it is to develop a strategy specific to mobile viewing. In today’s environment, consumers increasingly rely on smartphones and tablets to access online content. In fact, mobile browsing accounts for at least one-third of all web traffic—and in several countries, it’s already surpassed desktop usage.

Business owners may imagine consumers using mobile solely for apps and games, but an important part of mobile viewing is the ability to make purchases on-the-go. With the popularity of Amazon and other convenient online one-stop shops, customers are looking to buy products on mobile devices rather than at a store or even on their computers.

If a business doesn’t have a mobile strategy, it’s very likely that it will lose potential customers to competitors who have an easily accessible mobile presence. Having a website is one thing, but it takes more time and energy to make sure it works on a phone and is user-friendly. Content that is not specifically designed for mobile access can be too hard to find, too small to view, or formatted in a way that’s too complicated to read. Mobile platforms need clear designs such as large, “easily tappable” buttons that simplify purchasing.

The key is for business owners to make sure their website is responsive, accessible and aesthetically pleasing on all platforms: desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Some companies take it a step further by doing more than just optimizing their websites—they also create their own apps. This can be incredibly useful if you want to build brand loyalty and keep customers coming back. Rather than a customer spending time surfing the web to find a product, he or she can open an app and quickly find what they’re looking for, cutting out the noise of other search results and advertisements.

Mobile is also useful for notifying customers about current sales and coupons. Unlike a customer who receives coupons in the mail, or even by email, a mobile user gets instant updates and notifications about chances to save money. This sense of urgency and consistency helps keep the company on the consumer’s mind.

Another advantage of a mobile strategy is the integration of location services. If a potential customer is on a busy street looking for a store, his or her desktop is of no use. By enabling store-locating functions on a mobile website or app, businesses make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for.

While companies should continuously invest in creating responsive tools to bring in customers, businesses also need to extend efforts into mobile advertising. As mentioned earlier, more people are viewing content on mobile platforms, which means they’re seeing more ads on mobile devices. If businesses are looking to catch their audience’s eyes, mobile needs to be an important part of the company’s marketing strategy.

Once a company has a strong mobile strategy, it can easily initiate a social media strategy. People access social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram on their phones and tablets all the time. When users view company social pages and decide to click on the website link, they want to be transferred to a responsive page or app—not a clunky one that’s difficult to navigate.

As all of these examples show, there are many business benefits associated with mobile viewing; but, for many companies today, having an online strategy is no longer enough. In order to truly be competitive, businesses must be eager to expand and improve their mobile presence. What’s the most important part of your mobile strategy?

Jessica is a recent graduate of ASU where she studied political science and journalism. She is currently a researcher at a local cybersecurity company. Her hobbies include reading up on hacker forums on Tor and giving unsolicited podcast recommendations.

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